Premier Andrew Furey doesn’t believe having Brendan Paddick chair the Churchill River Energy Analysis Team is a conflict of interest.
News that the team exists was first discovered about two weeks ago through an allNewfoundlandLabrador article.
Some concerns have been raised over Paddick’s involvement, as he is the partner of a proponent for a hydrogen project on the West Coast.
Premier Furey was blunt in saying that he does not see it as a conflict of interest.
Furey states that “life is full of conflicts…especially when you’re looking for expertise in an area that has a pretty shallow pool.” He says it is not about the conflict, it’s about how the conflict is managed, and he believes Paddick can manage it appropriately.